Buckle-guard.



E. J. ELM.

BUCKLE GUARD.

AAPPLIOATION FILED JUNE 23, 1911.

1,020,81 1 Patented Mar. 19, 1912.

WITNESSES J mmvron Izaak/J7? ATTORNEYS COLUMBIA VLANOORAPH (0.. WASHINGTON. n c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELMER J. ELM, OF FUNK, NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 GUSTAVUS A. NELSON, OF AXTELL, NEBRASKA.

BUCKLE- GUARD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 19, 1912.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ELMER J. ELM, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Funk, in the county of Phelps and State of Nebraska, have invented a new and Improved Buckle-Guard, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to harnesses, and its object is to provide a new and improved buckle guard, more especially designed for use on the buckles of the driving reins, to prevent the buckle from catching onto fly nets, blankets and the like placed on the horse, and to prevent the mane or tail of the horse from becoming entangled, the guard being very simple and durable in construction, and arranged to permit of readily placing it in position to extend over and form a guard for the point of the tongue of the buckle.

For the purpose mentioned, use is made of two members mounted to turn one on the other, and provided at their ends with sectional loops adapted to open to engage the strap on opposite ends of the buckle and to hold the guard in position on the strap and over the buckle.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure is a plan view of the buckle guard as applied; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the buckle guard in closed position; Fig. 1 is a cross section of the strap and the buckle guard in open position; Fig. 5 is a like view of the same showing the buckle guard in closed position; and Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the improvement as applied to a buckle of different construction from the one shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The buckle guard is preferably made of two pieces of spring wire twisted together to form a longitudinal hinge A terminating in spaced parallel members B, B which terminate in sectional loops C, d. By providing the buckle uard with the hinge A, the two members of the guard can be readily turned one on the other, so that the sectional loops C and C readily open to permit of placing the said loops in position on the strap D at opposite ends of the buckle E having the usual tongue F extending between one of the guards B or B. Now by the arrangement described, the guard protects the point of the tongue F and extends over the buckle so as to prevent the buckle from catching in a fly net, blanket or the like, or being entangled in the hairs of the mane or tail of the horse.

It will also be noticed that by having the guard made of two members mounted to swing one on the other, the sectional loops C and C can be readily opened for engagement with the strap D, as described and shown in Figs. 2 and 6. The loops C and C stand at angles to the guards B and B so as to extend the hinge A, and the guards B and B, over the buckle without pulling the strap D out of its natural position.

By making the loops C and C in sections, adapted to be opened and closed, the loops can be readily made narrow, corresponding to the width of the strap D on which the guard is to be used, as it is not necessary to slip the strap D through the loops. In case the horse pulls the buckle through the ring on the back band, it can easily be pulled back without catching in the ring as the guard does not form an obstruction, but on the contrary permits easy passage of the buckle through the ring, it being understood that this applies more particularly to the use of the buckle guard when applied to a buckle of the form shown in Fig. 6.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A buckle guard for harness straps,comprising two members intermediately and longitudinally hinged whereby to turn one on the other and provided at their ends with sectional loops adapted to open to engage the strap on opposite ends of the buckle, and to close to hold the guard in position on the strap and over the buckle.

2. A buckle guard for harness straps,comprising two members having longitudinal hinged portions for the members to swing into open and closed position, sectional loops on the ends of the members for engagement with the strap, and a spaced guard portion at each end for receiving the point of the buckle tongue and connecting the ends of the hinged portions with the said loops.

3. A buckle guard made of two pieces of spring wire twisted together at the middle to form a longitudinal hinge, spaced parallel guard members at the ends of the hinge name to this specification in the presence of for receiving between them the point of the two subscribing witnesses. buckle tongue, and sectional loops on the ends of the guard members and adapted to ELMER J. ELM.

5 open and close for engagement with and re- Witnesses:

moval from the buckle straps. I. F. MILLER,

In testimony whereof I have signed my t J. D. ENGLAND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

